The Way It Is
by SlightlyManicMonday
Summary: Team arrow has become a well oiled crime fighting machine, but their resolve is tested when Slade escapes his prison of Lian Yu. Hell bent on revenge, Slade goes after the team members one by one. Will team arrow make it through in one piece? Some pairings; Roy/Thea, Digg/Lila, Olicity (not a lot tho), Oliver/Thea sibling fluff NO QUEENSCEST
1. The Happening

_**Thea's POV**_

Who he was and who he chose to be, was something far out of my control. I could reach for his large hand, pull him back and tell him what he is doing is stupid, foolish, and reckless. I wanted so badly to nock and arrow and let it fly to his shoulder to stop him, but a small part of me still knew he needed this. This ' _Closure'..._ Maybe I was crazy- effects of the pit still coursing through my bloodstream like a hot wave- but I was ready to help him heal.

Oliver's hurried footsteps down the tarmacs runway did nothing for my concerned glaze. He was moving at an unusually fast rate, even for him. Rain puddled along the cracked asphalt creating pools of reflection. Star City's night light created a silhouette of skyscrapers and glinting beams of light. It only held my gaze for a few fleeting moments.

 _Back to Oliver,_ I thought, taking up a jog to his hurried side.

"Ollie", I paused trying to catch my breath, "Please just slow down for a moment!"

He stopped, looking into my eyes. I knew the story my eyes told, but the story his eyes told me was something entirely different. His sea blue gaze had been glassed over from anger, to guilt, to layers of emotion Thea had never seen before.

"He escaped..." Oliver managed to choke out, to breaking their intense stare down.

"Ollie, I know, but you can't beat yourself up for this. He can't hurt you, I won't let him-"

He cut me off with a shaky tone in his voice. "Thea, I- I'm not worried about what he'll do to _me_."

I could feel my heart sink into my stomach, a solid led pit churning at it's walls. I shook away anything I wanted to feel, trying to get a straight answer from my brother for once in my life.

"Oliver, what is he going to do?" The apparent shake of concern heavy along my vocals.

"There was a girl on the island. Slade an I both had feeling for this woman-"

"Shado?" Felicity had told me a half of the story, interrupted by a bank robbery in progress. We never got around to finishing that conversation.

"Yes", Ollie not ever questioning how I already knew. "A man named Ivo had found us, hell bent on making me suffer. He tied both Sarah and Shado up, holding them at gunpoint. He made me choose Thea-" his voice cracking with highly evident pain. "It was either Sarah or Shado, if not either then both. I panicked... He put the gun to Sarah and I just reacted, telling him to shoot me instead. It was too late, by doing that I had saved Sarah, so he killed Shado... Slade, he blames me for her death, he plans to hurt me like I hurt him."

I found myself pulling him into a hug, wrapping my arms around my big brother. I could feel him embrace me back, shadowing my small figure like a mountain.

"We'll figure this out I prom-" But before I could finish a loud blast turned the once plastered puddles along the tarmac a bright orange. A large explosion destroying a few private planes, sending up both flying backwards.

The first thing I could feel was the slight metallic tang of blood, a cold stream dripping down my face. Then everything came flooding in. The loud ringing in my ears, my bruised back and hips. I winced in pain standing, trying to gain my barings. A manic noise filled my ears, the dreaded sound of _that_ accent drowning away the ringing. Hair brushing my jagged shoulders to find Slade striding with no hesitation towards me.

"SLADE", I could hear Oliver shout from behind me. Before I could charge in writhe towards him, Oliver barricaded me from attacking the Australian devil with all of my stored rage.

"Hey kid, miss me", Slade's tone mocking that of a young child.

"What do you want Slade?" Oliver questioned, his hands blocking me from killing that retched man.

"You know what I want Oliver", Slade paused darkening his tone. "Revenge", then it hit me like the hot sting of rum down your throat. He wasn't hear for Oliver, he was hear for me. That's when I lost it. Everything, including what sanity and pride I held out for Oliver- since my bloodlust had presented itself.

A blood curdling scream reaching my pale lips as I pushed passed Oliver hurdling at record speed towards Slade. No strategy, no plan, it was foolish, and I should've realized that. Slade stood his ground and before I could even throw a single punch, I could feel his vice grip chocking away what breath I still had.

The darkness was welcoming. A cool dream. A bright light, then nothing but my own fear. Cold blood rushing to my head, I gave up the will to struggle. I welcomed the darkness, and within seconds I could feel my body hitting the wet asphalt, drifting into the pain. Finding an odd comfort in the way it lulled me to a heightened rest.

"THEA", Oliver's tear chocked cry was the last thing before everything went dark.

 **AN: This is my first Fic for anything, let alone the arrow fandom, so just let me know what you think! There will be more, I promise! I'm expecting this to be roughly 15 chapters, so strap in your seatbelts kiddos! Were in for a loooong haul.**


	2. All in seconds

_The darkness was welcoming. A cool dream. A bright light, then nothing but my own fear. Cold blood rushing to my head, I gave up the will to struggle. I welcomed the darkness, and within seconds I could feel my body hitting the wet asphalt, drifting into the pain. Finding an odd comfort in the way it lulled me to a heightened rest._

 _"THEA", Oliver's tear chocked cry was the last thing before everything went dark._

* * *

 ** _Third-person POV_**

The rain pattered slowly along the tarmac. The loud clap of thunder forced Oliver's heart into his throat. Seeing Slade tauntingly drag Thea's unconscious body across the slick asphalt made his blood boil. Rage bubbling in his stomach, poring out of his heart and making his heart ache with overcome pain. The blast had left him with a twisted knee, making it difficult to walk. His eyebrows pressed together, forming lines along his forehead. His feat moving beneath him, charging after the Australian.

His loud, baratone footsteps echo amongst the puddles, forcing Slade to notice his incoming enemy.

"Ah, so ready to die are we?" Slade drops Thea, squaring up to a fast approaching Oliver. "I guess it's your lucky day." A grin pressing his crooked face.

Oliver throws punch after punch, striking Slade time after time. A left cross, right cross, stepping into his sheild with each calculated movement. Slade, awkwardly blocking punches, continues to stay on the offensive side. Oliver can feel his emotions taking a hold of his emotions. Muscles aching from the fight, he begins to fall, his technique slowly slipping. Before Oliver could take his remaining energy and fight back, Slade makes his move, knocking him down the puddles.

A loud thud echos through the night as Slade knocks Oliver to the ground.

"Agh", Oliver grunts from pain, his knee hot and burning.

"So naive", Slade taunts. "What were you expecting Oliver? I have been planning this day for years now, since you left me to die in that cage in 'purgatory'", Slade circles him, not noticing a waking Thea behind him.

Oliver gathers himself, limping to his already weakened stance. "Thea had nothing to do with that! Take me, hurt me, _not her_ ", his words stinging his own throat as they coarse out.

Slade laughs, only pushing Oliver closer to the edge. "I've studied you, noticed how you _hurt._ I could torture you, but thats not how _you_ feel pain." He shoves his hands nonchalantly into his coat pockets, letting Oliver put two and two together.

But before Oliver could even try to respond, Slade is jolted forward skidding straight to the ground. Thea, standing over him, a look in her eyes Oliver has never seen before. Something, _deadly._

* * *

 _ **Thea's POV**_

It's cold, cold enough to feel my skin turn to gooseflesh, moving its way up my wet arms. I want to open my eyes, but my head is pounding, and keeping them closed might just save me from a scary reality. Then something else. As the noise fades back in, the soft noise of the rain pour hits the ground around me. My vision blurs as I drag my eyes open, the light pouring in. I wince in pain, feeling a surge of cold blood pour into my body. A cool stream of blood has decorated my clothes, leaving them blotched with the color of ivory red.

I sit up, trying to re-gain my bearings. The world was spinning- lines, colors, and shapes blurring together lightly. I can now hear Oliver and Slade trading punches a good 10-feet away from me. It blurry but I can tell Oliver is starting to loose. They trade punches for a few more long seconds before a blurry Slade knocks him down. They are now arguing, most of it drowned away by the rain, but I knew Slade was going to kill him. I _had_ to do something. So I push away the pain and spring into action. I leap to my feet, running at Slade's back.

My foot connects with his tailbone, as I send him straight to the ground in front of Oliver.

"Thea!" Oliver yelps, but I don't listen to anything else he has to say.

Now hovering over Slade, I forget that surging pain in my head from earlier. My anger coarsing hot, boiling, regretful blood through my veins. I throw punch after punch, turning his face to a sweet blood color, my fists painted the same way.

It's hard to remember _when_ I lost control but I could see Slade shifting to something in his pocket. I must've been so consumed with rage, I wanted to see him _die._ I wished to see him laying there lifeless, never able to hurt me again. I failed to notice the knife he was holding, and before I could knock him out, the blade connected with my stomach.

Then everything goes cold, colder than before. I can't remember what I was doing, I was _so_ overtaken with rage, with my anger, with blood-lust... I fall back reeling into the pavement, hands gripping the handle of the knife. I look up to see something I thought I would've _never_ seen painted across Slade's stubbly face.

 _Fear..._

I can see him running into the distance, shouting something to Oliver. I can't hear, everything has flooded away. I can feel the thin cold water below me turn to a warm thick.

I drop back, looking into the sky. The beautiful stars make me feel at peace, there endless mysteries lull me away, or maybe it's the blood loss. I couldn't care less. A soft hand touches my shoulder, and I look to see Oliver. He is kneeling beside me, looking my body up and down with hard confusion and concern. Everything was starting to blur together in a foggy haze.

His voice jolted me awake, picking me up onto his lap. "Hey- Hey, Thea, stay awake for me, ok? Just don't fall asleep", His ice blue eyes watering slightly.

I tried to choke out words, telling him I was alright, but the pain in my head came flooding back. "Agh", I ground my teeth in tight circles, biting away the pain. I couldn't control it. I wanted to stay awake, but the darkness grabbed me by the leg and pulled me into it.

And then, I was gone, drifting in a silent dream.

* * *

 _ **Oliver's POV**_

"Thea!" I yell, trying to stop her, but she leaps on top of Slade, beating his face to a pulp. "Stop Thea, JUST STOP!" I don't think she can hear me. Then that feeling rushes over me. That feeling of panic.

The silver of the blade catches the light of the tarmac, glinting from Slade's hand.

"SLADE NO-", but before I could make a fleeting attempt at talking him down, the knife went straight into Thea's stomach.

I look to find Slade scurrying away from her... Afraid, and it was almost scary. He gave me a look and covered his weakness with a blunt threat. "I'll be back for her", he jogged off to the black SUV parked adjacent to the fight and drove away.

I didn't try to run after him, it wasn't even a thought. I find myself standing in shock for a few short moments... I can't help but stand there, still in shock, and shake with fear. Slade was afraid of Thea, and he had every reason to be, she had gone completely postal on him.

 _Wait... Thea!,_ It all floods back.

I skid to her side, wanting so badly to just pick her up and bring her somewhere safer than this place. I hesitate for a moment before dialing 9-1-1.

The tone takes a few moments to go through before I hear a quick response on the other side. "9-1-1, what is your-"

"Send an ambulance to the private wing of the airport, hangar B, please hurry", I cut the lady off, hanging up and hoisting Thea up onto my lap.

"Hey- hey Thea, stay awake for me, ok? Just don't fall asleep", I can feel it. The tears, the pain, I could've prevented this, but I didn't. I failed her.

"Agh", she clenches her eyes together, wincing in unimaginable pain. I reach for her hand, gripping it tightly.

She looks up into the night sky, and her eyes gently close. "Thea... THEA, hey wake up! Don't fall asleep, Thea!" I shake her but she doesn't wake. That was it, I was done waiting. I scoop her into my arms carrying her closer to the road.

Red and blue lights paint the wet road as the ambulance finally arrives. Screeching to a fast stop, multiple paramedics take Thea into the back of the ambulance. My heart was pounding so hard, I never let go of her hand, I wasn't going to leave her.

 _No, not yet._

It's all ruined now. Everything. I should've intervened I should've done something... This was _my_ fault. I saw the knife but I was so shocked by her... _Bloodlust,_ that I caught it too late. Now my little sister was in pain for something _I did!_ I was going to kill Slade, I was going to watch him bleed for this.

 _I'm coming for you Slade,_ I think to myself, as the paramedics rush us to the hospital.

* * *

 **AN: I had an idea originally in mind for this chapter, but as I started to write I went a WHOLE different direction with it; Gonna try more of the third person veiw so I'm not having to replay events over and over through a different characters POV. Felicity, Digg, Roy, and Laurel are in the next chapter, so look forward to some upcoming pairings ;)**


	3. Lost

**AN: Wowie, jeez. I just recently watched the promo for 6x15 and I literally flipped my shit. EVERYONE SPEEDY IS COMING BACK! I'm speechless but literally _so_ excited. **

**This story has unfortunately fell onto the back burner due to other stories in development. Watching that promo REALLY got me hyped so here is chapter 3! Enjoy!**

* * *

 _It's all ruined now. Everything. I should've intervened I should've done something... This was my fault. I saw the knife but I was so shocked by her... Bloodlust, that I caught it too late. Now my little sister was in pain for something I did! I was going to kill Slade, I was going to watch him bleed for this._

 _I'm coming for you Slade, I think to myself, as the paramedics rush us to the hospital._

* * *

 ** _Felicity's POV_**

It was a fairly uneventful evening. I usually spent my nights wasting away in this 'Bat Cave' of sorts. It was dark, lonely, and damp. Not something particularly ideal, but it was- and has always been- a second home to me. I spent _so_ much of my time here, the place had begin to grow on me.

I tap my keyboard aimlessly, My mind drifting into thought about Oliver and Thea and where they were going. Oliver had a vendetta, one that had to paid with blood. Slade, Oliver's long standing enemy, had escaped his confinement on Lian Yu. He had told me the story of why Slade had been so hell bent on making Oliver suffer. It was one of the few times Oliver had _ever_ chose to open up about his time spent 'castaway'.

A loud _buzz_ caused me to jump from my swivel chair. I was so lost in my own thought that I had completely lost track of time. I stepped past my displaced chair, taking a hold of the buzzing phone. Across the top of the screen it read, _Oliver._ I'm not completely sure _why,_ but my heart skipped 4 beats. I rush the swipe across the screen and all I hear is labored breathing and distant shouting.

"Oliver, where are you? Are _you_ ok?" I hesitate trying not spark anymore panic in him.

There is a long pause, before a pained voice comes through the other side of the line. "Thea… Slade was at the airport. She put up a fight but-" He stops and I can already hear the regret laced in his voice.

"Is she ok? Where are you?" I'm shaking, if Slade is off the island…

"They are working on her now, we are at Starling General", Once again, a long silence from both of us. "I did this…"

At this point I was already in the process of putting on my coat and leaving the bunker. "No it's not Oliver. I'm on my way, just hang tight", I hang up, pocketing my phone and jogging to my car.

I fumble lightly with my keys, trying to shove them into the exhausted ignition. My car roars to life as I speed to the hospital. I bite back salt in my eyes, trying to see the road clearly. My heart is beating through my chest, i'm fighting the pain in my stomach.

Deep down, I know what's coming for me. Shaking away the hard pressed thought, I step on the gas.

 _I'm coming Oliver…_

* * *

 ** _Oliver's POV_**

One, two, _three_ sets of double doors we passed through before we reached the trauma room. My hand gripped like a vice to my baby sister's gurney. I stroke the hair sticking to her face as we jog down the long hallway towards the ER.

All the while trying to comfort her unconscious mind. "You're going to be ok, just hold on…" I repeat those words over and over to the point where I begin to doubt them myself.

The paramedics take a strap left turn into a room filled with doctors and nurses. The sea of blue scrubs and white gloves ready and waiting. I move to grab her hand, not wanting to ever let it go. The set of double doors leading into the room cut me off from her, her limp hand slipping through my fingers.

I attempt to follow, but a small nurse stands in my way.

"Sir, you can't go in there", the small woman plants herself like a rock, looking me dead in the eyes.

"I can't leave her, I won't", I'm taking glances between her and my sister. She looks so helpless, and I can't leave her.

"Sir-", The nurse places a firm hand on my chest, stopping me from plowing her over. "You need to let us work", her blue eyes are sympathetic, but determined.

I feel a fast sigh escape my lungs as I limply walk to a chair near the door.

I had been so worried about Thea, I had completely forgotten what Slade had done to _me_. The headache sets in, but before I can make to the chair, I feel myself falling. I fight gravity, trying to keep myself upright. Before I can reach for anything to keep me upright, I'm already falling. When I hit the ground, everything goes black.

I welcome the darkness, for it is my home…

* * *

 **AN: I know it's short, but more is in the works! Expect the next 3 chapters to come in a burst… Sorry not sorry ;)**

 **Favorite, follow, review! Anything means the world to me!**


	4. Helpless

**AN: I'm shook, no really SHOOK. Watched 6x15, flipped my shit, then proceeded to write this. It's been a rough one to get through but here it is (finally)…**

* * *

 _I had been so worried about Thea, I had completely forgotten what Slade had done to me. The headache sets in, but before I can make to the chair, I feel myself falling. I fight gravity, trying to keep myself upright. Before I can reach for anything to keep me upright, I'm already falling. When I hit the ground, everything goes black._

 _I welcome the darkness, for it is my home…_

* * *

 _ **Thea's POV**_

It's a little bit like falling, but you never hit the ground. It's just a strange void with no exit, no way out, you just fall... I don't dream, I don't see the point. Even if I tried, nightmares live in my sleep. Usually I can escape the nightmares, taking refuge in consciousness from their abuse. But here, I am trapped. I fall through nightmare after nightmare, and I can't help but wish for a way out.

I grasp to anything I find, trying to find my eyes to do what I cannot. It stings, but artificial light floods my vision. I blink once, twice, a third time. I'm not sure where I am, or how I got here but it resembles that of a hospital room. I can't tell, my head heavy with the presence of morphine.

My eyebrows pressed together in a line of pain, I move to sit up. I can hear small words, a phone rings from a distance, the world still spinning. I choose not to remember, for I fear what I will find. For now, I focus on the noise.

The calming voice, that of a woman slightly older than I. I can't make out anything concrete, but I hear, "Queen- hurt- room 205", before I dare to ask myself what that means, my mind runs wild with theories.

 _Is she referring to me? Where is Oli? God why does my stomach hurt?!_

The thought circles my mind like a tornado.

 _It's drowning me, I can't stand this, i'm leaving_ , at this point my mind is made up. I'm done waiting for people, time for a change.

The tile floor is cold to the touch of my pale, bare feet. The contact sends a quick shiver up my spine. I roughly pull the IV from my arm, tossing in a hidden corner behind the bed. It's slow, but I soon find my balance.

The drywall crumbles, creating white lines in my finger nails, as I cling to it's flat surface for support. My knees are wobbly beyond control, but I manage to drag my pained body to the door. Everything hurts, but the shooting pain from my abdomen is an after thought.

Soft murmurs and a gentle bustle creates a welcoming atmosphere, but I still wanted to be anywhere but here. I move to turn the door handle to only find the ground approaching my face much faster than I anticipated. With the door swinging a far distance out from my grasp, I smack _hard_ onto the tiled floor.

I can hear shouts from voices I have never herd. Soft hands move to turn me over, light flashing in my eyes. These are faces I have never seen, and I am desperate for answers.

My mouth opens in an effort to push out a question but nothing comes out...

 _Was I still dreaming? What is this?! Why can I not talk!_ , all of these questions shouted into dead silence.

"Ms. Queen, my name is Alison. Do you know what day it is?" a younger nurse asks me, ushering over doctors of different kinds.

"God, where is my brother?!" I manage to croak out.

A warm familiar hand grasps my shoulder tightly, it's Oli. "Hey, hey", he speaks lightly. "I've got you-"

I can feel my body leaving the cold floor and returning to something warmer. I keep my eyes closed, the light hurts my clouded head.

I can feel the retraction of protection of my brother's hands. "Oli-" I croak, I dance along the edge on conscience.

"I'm here Thea, what do you need", he grips my hand and I shut my eyes tighter.

"The lights", I say, whilst my hand motions towards the drywalled ceiling.

A small murmur meets my ears before the light sneaking through my closed eyes, disappears. I'm cautious but eventually my eyes are locked onto an injured Oliver, grasping my hand. It's hard to stay awake, but I push.

"What happened?"

His other hand runs through his short hair, my eyes meeting various nicks and cuts along his brow line. "Slade, he found us before we were able to get to him... There was an explosion, you've been out for a few days, but you're going to be ok", he reassures me.

My mother had always told me it was un-healthy to sigh, but I let out my anticipation in a drawn out sigh. We sit in silence for minutes before a small nurse waddles in, accompanied by a taller man.

Oliver looks over at the two and squeezes my hand, reassuringly. "Hello Ms. Queen. My name is Steven, I am your doctor on staff currently", the tall man speaks. I nod, avoiding using my worn vocal chords. "You've been through the extreme, and have made a miraculous recovery-"

 _There's a BUT, right? That sounds like there's a BUT coming..._

"-But, we still have many test to run. Allison here", he motions to the smaller nurse working on a new IV, the woman who helped me in the hallway. "We would like to reduce your movement to prevent internal ruptures from your injury."

I've herd this before. They need me either completely still or asleep.

 _I guess i'm already tired, but what if something happens while i'm out?!_

There is no need to ask, as I nod my head in compliance. "Thea are you sure?" Oliver chimes in, overly concerned as always.

"I'll be just fine Oli", I grip his hand tighter.

A cold wave burns through my veins and sends a small shiver up my spine. I hold Oli's hand until I begin to dream. The world is better through dreams, and i'm ok with being here. Until I hear gunshots. Gunshots that I cannot defend myself from. An un-surmountable time has passed and I am stuck in the land of dreams...

* * *

 **AN: So yes it's been a while, but i'm kinda dead. Watched 6x18 and i'm officially done... No spoilers but my heart is both broken and completely happy. Anywayssss, enjoy a LONG overdue chapter 4!**


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